midwife

From Old English, corresponding to mid (“with”) + wīf (“woman”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɪd.waɪf/

midwife (plural midwives)

1. A person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth, but who is not a physician.

   A hundred years ago, a midwife would bring the baby into the world - going to a hospital to deliver a baby was either impossible or unheard of.

2. (rare, figuratively) Someone who assists in bringing about some result or project.

• accoucheuse

• accoucheur
• man-midwife

• midwife toad
• midwifery

• midhusband

midwife (third-person singular simple present midwives or midwifes, present participle midwiving or midwifing, simple past and past participle midwived or midwifed)

1. (transitive) To act as a midwife
2. (transitive, figuratively) to facilitate the emergence of

   But the bigger objective was to help Iraqis midwife a democratic model that could inspire reform across the Arab-Muslim world and give the youth there a chance at a better future.

   Thomas L. Friedman. "Attention: Baby on Board." New York Times. April 13, 2010.

While elementary students are taught "replace 'f' with 'v'," the mistake resulting in "midwifed" is made often enough in informal/colloquial language to indicate the rule is not consistently followed.

• doula
• obstetrician
• obstetrics